Red Flag Fire Warning Issued Wednesday For Southern Utah

The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for portions of Washington County. Expected winds and low humidity could contribute to wildfire danger.

The alert is in effect Wednesday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. for wind and low relative humidity. The area affected includes the southern half of Washington County including the areas around St. George. Nick Howell of the Bureau of Land Management suggests defensible space is a good place to start preparing for fire season.

"Defensible space is huge for anybody that lives in a fire-prone environment and especially in some of the more unincorporated areas, there's a pretty significant risk of wildfire," Howell said.

Winds are expected to increase from 15 to 25 miles per hour combined with single-digit humidity. By week's end, temperatures for St. George are expected to reach triple-digits for the first time this year.